Our achievements. Our accomplishments. Our impact.

Evidence-Based Policy Making

When the Stem Cell Network launched in 2001, its most pressing goal was to address the policy vacuum that was constraining stem cell research in Canada. SCN and its members provided credible, research-based evidence and recommendations that were critical in the development of Canada’s regulatory landscape for stem cell research.

Over more than a decade of targeted funding, the Stem Cell Network harnessed the strength of world-leading Canadian researchers to develop technologies to increase quantities of blood stem cells for expanded therapeutic use and to overcome a significant hurdle in the delivery of cell-based treatments to patients.

The Stem Cell Network’s Annual General Meeting, which metamorphosed into the Till & McCulloch Meetings, is a one-of-a-kind venue for trainees and young scientists to network and gain experience in the competitive field of regenerative medicine.

In collaboration with educators, researchers and graduate-level trainees, the Stem Cell Network has directly engaged thousands of high school students across the country to enhance their learning about various aspects of stem cell research.

The Stem Cell Network has elevated the level of public discourse and understanding about stem cells in Canada by engaging Canadians in artistic, accessible and innovative explorations of emerging issues in the field and by becoming an active and respected presence online.

The Stem Cell Network was critical for strategically identifying structural gaps in the Canadian stem cell research landscape and bringing together diverse stakeholder groups to seize those opportunities through the incubation and launch of new organizations.

The Stem Cell Network worked diligently to identify key areas where enhanced training, provided on a national scale, would have direct benefits on research outcomes and also for Canada’s future scientists and clinicians.